Yeah, yeah ... It's been a long time...

Okay, I know it's been a really long time since I posted here, but life has been busy. I thought I'd show y'all something that I had great fun doing. Enjoy!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I figure this is the only way I'm gonna get all my boys to dance. I may get one of them to do it, but this was so much fun. As least I'll have video of it.....

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

IT looks so real! It makes me laugh, tell me it doesn't make y'all laugh! Okay, last one... maybe! *snicker*

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I hope everyone is having a safe and happy holiday season. Good will to all and to all a good night... that Santa sure knows what he's talking about. LOL

~Chris

Strangers... Stranger than fiction...

Thought I'd start with a picture from the reunion. This was taken from the back porch of DH's uncle's home.

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Okay, Marianne requested the hitting on strangers story... so here goes.

While at the beach up in Idaho (while my DH rode around in his brother's boat) I had the task of keeping track of three children, participating in the family activities and making sure my children didn't wander or drown. I thought I was doing pretty good until the cousin I was talking to said, "Hey, where'd (3) go?"

PANIC... okay, I could handle this. I stood up, asked the cousin if she could continue to keep an eye on 0 and 6 and stood to look up and down the beach. I let everyone else in the group know he had wandered off and to BOLO then started walking up the beach. I saw a flash of his life jacket ahead of me and started to trot in that direction. As I got a bit closer and saw what he was doing, I broke into a full-out run. 3 had picked up some random water noodle and proceeded to beat some poor guy about the head and shoulders with it (No, I'm not kidding!). By the time I got there, the guy was confused but... amused. He was holding onto one end of the noodle while 3 dancing around on the other end of the noodle like it was a great game...

"(3), you put that down right now!" 3 turned around and just started babbling about how this guy was letting him do it and it was fun. I look at the guy and about swallow my tongue. HOTTIE!!

"I am SOO sorry," I gasp, grabbing 3s arm embarassed as all get out, and then the guy turns to face me fully... WHEW, I told you he was HAWT right? Well, he was built too.. he had that perfect triangle... yum. So, here I am embarassed, and the guy turns to me and grins. He's grinning at me!

He said, "S'alright, hon!" with this REALLY nice british accent... IN IDAHO. How in the hell did he find his way to BFE Idaho? "I just wasn't sure who he belonged to."

"Yes, he belongs to me, I'm sorry! He thinks because he has older brothers who beat on him that it's okay... no matter what I say." No, I'm really not sure how I was still able to talk... but I was.

"I can relate." And that was that...

I smiled, and dragged my 3 back off down the beach to where he was supposed to be and kept a much closer eye on him the rest of the day. So, now you know, my son is shameless when it comes to "hitting" on good-looking strangers on my behalf.

Which story should I tell next? LOL

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It's been a bit insane in our house lately, what with school starting back up, and dance classes and another family trip... *sigh* I guess I can rest when I'm dead.

Today, we had a big deal happen in our little household. 0 had his first tooth break through. YAY. After about a month of fussing and a not-so-happy baby, I'm hoping we'll get a bit of a break from the screaming. Doubt it, but hope springs eternal.

That's the best I can do right now. He wasn't cooperating with me taking pictures of his tooth today. You can sort of see it there on the bottom in the front. NO, I didn't hurt him, he was actually trying to grab the camera. LOL

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9 just learned a rough lesson today. He came home from school and instead of doing what I told him to do (his homework) he ran around in his room in his own world. Now, normally we'd just call him back to task and all would be well. BUT, today was Scouts. The rule is if he doesn't do his homework before Scouts, he doesn't get to go. We went through a really rough patch last year where he almost failed. Considering how smart the kid is it was difficult to get him back on task. We worked it out, and he decided along with us that if he didn't do his homework he lost privileges... starting with Scouts. I hate being the bad guy, but he has a hard enough time focusing without letting him excuse himself from homework.

*sigh* Isn't being a parent so much fun? YES,it is... even when they don't like me very much.

Yes, I'm back...

And I have been for a bit now. I'm sorry... I SUCK at keeping up with my blogging. LOL

Our trip to Idaho went well, aside from disappearing children, hitting on good-looking strangers and 9 year old gastrointestinal showmanship... we had a pretty good time. Yes, there is a story behind each situation named above. I just really don't have time to tell them all right now, plus the post would be a mile long if I did. Let me know which one you want to know the most about and I'll tell that tale in the next posting.

Life has been rather crazy around here. We got back from our trip and the next week I started back teaching dance classes, DH started back taking his Masters courses, we had to prepare for a new school year and everything just went to fast forward. Before I knew it, it was three weeks (four?) later and I hadn't updated my blog. *sigh*

Well, now 9 and 6 are back in school, and I have a bit more time to get things done (I hope). So, here's hoping that I can actually get those things ... well... done!

Heading out the door

Yep, that's right. I am insane, I admit it.

I am currently in the process of taking a family trip. We're DRIVING, with all the boys, to my DH's family reunion in Idaho. Why is it that the one person who doesn't really want to do it is the one who has to pack everything and get everyone ready to go? As Marianne told me earlier... vacation is NOT a vacation for MOM.

So, that's where I am, and why I haven't updated. Trying to get everything caught up and keep Marianne from panicking (she doesn't want me to go either... lol). I think I'll be able to check in while away, but you never know.

As for the whole Cops incident.. thank you everyone. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who thought it was blown all kinds of out of proportion. It took two days for my stomach to unknot. Hugs to y'all for your support.

Okay, I know this is a really short post, but I don't really have time for anything longer... I shouldn't even be here now... but don't tell anyone.

COPS!!! I'm SERIOUS!

So, apparently, I am a terrible mother who doesn't deserve to have children.

That's right... the COPS were called on me!

No, really, I'm serious. The police were called to my house.

Here's the story: I stopped off at Wal-Mart after picking up my older two boys from the rec center. I had all three older boys with me, and I should have known better, but hope springs eternal. So, after going through the store and hearing, "Can we...?" and "Mommy, I want..." nonstop and having to chase down 3 and finally toss him in the cart because he REFUSED to listen... I lost it in the parking lot.

9 ignored me and proceeded to open up three very large bottles of Gatorade for him and his two brothers. 3 then proceeded to dump half of his bottle all over the back of the van, before I had even gotten around to the driver's seat. HOW DO THEY DO IT? Did I mention our van is relatively new... I get upset if stuff is spilled in it... because DH gets upset if stuff is spilled in it.

I lost it, I admit it, I was hollering in the parking lot. I stormed around the van, hollered at them to give me the stupid drinks, and proceeded to tell them very loudly that they were never coming to the grocery store with me again. Now, when I got into the driver seat, I noticed a woman staring at me. I gave her a "What are you looking at?" look and drove off... after gripping my head and screaming loudly, "AAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!" I then took a deep breath and drove home (which is right down the street).

When I got home I told the boys to get in the house and get towels to mop up the mess. I came in, lamented to DH that I didn't know why I kept doing this to myself and proceeded to cry while I put the groceries away. I noticed a car slowly driving around the school across the street and thought briefly that someone was lost.

20 MINUTES LATER THE COPS WERE RINGING MY DOORBELL!!!

"Could you come outside please?"

Holy crap... what is going on? "Um, okay, sure, let me put the dog in the back yard." (Harley was going nuts.)

"Were you guys just at Wal-Mart?"

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? "Yes, sir, I was, and Yes, sir, I was screaming at my kids in the parking lot, but I did not beat them no matter how much they deserved it!"

"Honestly, I don't really think you did. But, we have to investigate these calls. You understand."

"Absolutely."

"Why were you so upset with them?"

"Because, they had just dumped half a gatorade in the backseat when I told them not to open them until we got home!"

"Well, hell, I would have had the same damned reaction!" I kid you not, the nice Officer McGinnis said this!

"Yup, I was not happy with them. When we got home they got to clean it up too."

"Good!"

"But, I did not beat them.."

"Well, frankly, I'd prefer it if you did." Color me stumped! "If more people made their children own up to their actions and spanked them I wouldn't have to deal with them later on in life!"

I swear I just stood there and blinked at him... as did his rookie he was training. The boys then proceeded to trot outside wanting to meet the police officers (we like police officers, firefighters, and soldiers in our house). When asked, 9 freely admitted he had opened the bottles, but that I hadn't been very clear on when they COULD in fact open the Gatorades. (9 is on a fast-track to law school if you ask me) This brought a laugh and then a lecture from Officer McGinnis on how 9 needed to listen to his mother. 3 at first thought they were there to take him away for spilling the Gatorade (wonder where he got THAT idea... 9?) and locked us out of the house. Good thing 9 was still inside and let us in.

Basically, the officers said they had to check it out, make sure that we weren't killing our kids and they were sorry to bother us. They walked away laughing. Meanwhile, our friends in the neighborhood were driving by staring wondering what in the world had happened that the police were on our front porch. *sigh* And I am southern enough to be bothered by what my neighbors might think of me... at least for ten minutes or so. LOL

Yanno, I never once slapped my kids in that parking lot, I never pulled them out and made them walk home, I never did anything beyond scream at them and warn them of the consequences of their actions. They would never get to go to the store with me unless it was an emergency (no milk and no DH to cover me), they would be cleaning up the mess they made and... The Gatorade was confiscated to be re-released at a later date. BUT, someone felt that I went over the line... I guess they either don't have children or their children are angels because they don't "need" to yell at them or hellions because they obviously never yell at their children about the consequences of their actions at the top of their lungs. Well.. bully for them. These are my children who are ALL BOY! And there are days where my children are darned lucky I think it would scar them if I spanked them in public.

So, basically, someone had nothing better to do than to follow me down the street from the Neighborhood Wal-Mart and then drive around while she made sure she got my address right when she was talking to the police. Pretty convinced it was that lady in the parking lot staring at me. When the cops showed up on my doorstep I had no idea why they were there. I thought another one of our cars had been broken into...

Nope, apparently a nosey woman's call that I was "possibly" harming my children causes them to make haste, where as when someone breaks into our van, or bashes out a window, and they can't be bothered to come out and take a report we had to go into the station and fill it out ourselves. Grr... if I see that lady again... I'll smile sweetly and ask her if SHE would like to spend a day in the grocery store with all three of them.

Okay, I'm done. I almost want to laugh now... at the time I was quite a bit furious that some nosey ass woman had no business sticking her nose in my business. But, oh well... she'll get hers someday. Good thing the boys are charming and just "so obviously abused and neglected. Some freaking people.

The officers were very sweet and understanding so it was more a conversation about friends.

Okay, I'm tired. It's been an emtional day. No kiddie quote today. I had to give a nother rant. I'll try to post some pictures of Harley tomorrow... he's so purty now that his winter coat has been combed out.

I'm losing my ability to make sense now, so that was the most exciting stuff to happen to me today... let's see how the rest of the week to see whatelse happens.

GRRRRRR..... Rant Ahead!

Okay, rant ahead... you've been warned!

What ever happened to common courtesy? Since when is it okay to sit behind someone in a drive thru and honk your horn at them then wave your arms around like they're somehow inconveniencing you?

I took the boys to Mickey D's today... cuz I had just had enough and didn't feel like cooking anything. We've ALL been there, don't even try to deny it. Anyway, I usually make the boys tell me what they want BEFORE we get to the order box... thingy... and today was no different. Even so, they still sometimes hem and haw as they try to decide if they want fries or apple dippers, juice or milk, but asking them early usually cuts down on the drive thru time.

Anyway, today they were actually pretty good about telling me, but 3 has a hard time deciding... no matter how much time I give him. LOL We hadn't been there more than a minute and I was finishing up the order when the mean little gnome in the car behind us started honking his horn and waving his arms around like we were taking HOURS instead of minutes. I ignored him and finished our order and pulled forward the whole SINGLE CAR LENGTH to wait for the two cars in front of us to finish paying and move forward. See, we weren't holding anyone up, but you couldn't have told HIM that.

That little man rode my bumper all the way through the drive thru! Then as I am getting the food, I double-check to make sure that everything is correct... I have had more than one child pitch a temper tantrum because someone gave them fries instead of apple dippers, yanno! I was in NO mood to deal with that today, so I took the extra ten seconds to peek into each bag and make sure there would be no more drama. AND HE HONKED AGAIN! The lady in the window looked at ME like I did it!

I said, "NOT me... the nasty little man in the car behind me!"

Then, she and her manager both proceeded to hang out the window and stare at him! I about bust a gut laughing. In my rearview mirror I could see him slump down in his seat and try to avoid their glares. As I drove away, all I could think was, "What ever happened to common courtesy?" It's not like I was taking an inordinate amount of time ordering and getting my food. I see it more and more all around me... people hanging out their windows screaming at people in the crosswalk to move faster, then speeding around them when they're not even fully clear of the crosswalk... kids pushing each other down to get to the front of a line that isn't really going anywhere but into the next room... ADULTS pushing each other down to be first... Where did this whole ME ME ME mentality come from? Can I dare to hope that I can teach my children manners and common courtesy when there are so many people out there who don't even bother saying please and thank you?

Okay, I'm done for now... LOL

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I am just exhausted today. Not sure if some of y'all know, but I have sleep "issues" and some nights I'm lucky to get 3 or 4 hours of sleep.

Last night was one of those nights... I was still up when Marianne got up on the East Coast. I swear I can see her flinch all the way over there when she gets up and sees that I'm still up.

I have sleeping pills I'm supposed to take, but after a few days they aren't as effective, and I have to just deal. I can go without but that means NO sleep... *sigh* Needless to say, I wish I had an alternative. Believe me, I've tried just about everything... melatonin, bananas, cutting caffeine completely, no excercise after a certain time, all sorts of herbal supplements and accupressure (not accupuncture... yet), meditation... just about anything that has been suggested.

Now, honestly, I've sort of gotten used to going with little to no sleep, but it does affect my personality (just ask my kids) when I've gone several days with only minimal sleep. I don't really know what to do about it... but maybe someone out there has an idea that I haven't tried... and that doesn't involve needles. (Sorry, Marianne... it's a bit of a phobia)

Anyone?

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Okee dokee on a lighter note... I thought I'd do a quiz! :-)

You Are a Chick Rocker!

You're living proof that chicks can rock You're inspired by Joan Jett and the Donnas And when you rock, you rock hard (Plus, you get all the cute guy groupies you want!)

What Kind of Rocker Are You?

That was fun! And... it's true! LOL

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Last time's Kiddie Quote was entirely MY FAULT! I know... having boys has corrupted me beyond measure.

It started when I told 9 to butt out of a conversation between me and DH... my exact words were... "Back off, Nosey-Butt!" Which then led me to ask, "Hmm... what would the world be like if our noses were on our butts instead of our faces?"

*SIGH* Yes, I know, bad mommy! But, the conversation was quite fun. 9, me and DH all had a few ideas on what the world would be like:

"I'll bet people would wipe their butts a lot better!" - 9

"There'd be a lot less nose-piercings!" - 9 again

"Deodorant wouldn't be as important... at least on your underarms." - DH

Sorry... I don't have a new Kiddie Quote right now... I'm tired.

How odd is ODD?

YES! SEE, as far as the Accidental Porn... I'm not the only one with a gutter-brain! DH and I both thought it looked like a man groping a woman from behind. And, we're not the only ones. YAY. LOL.

Thank you, everyone for the Anniversary thoughts. We had a nice evening and I love getting dressed up... I'm such a girly girl.

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So, I have a question for the parents out there. Does your child just do things that are ODD and you're not sure where they got the quirk from?

Each of my children has a little quirk that can either make me smile or make me grit my teeth... just depends on the day.

9 makes a noise, completely subconsciously, when he's playing. It's sort of a cross between a war explosion and a sort of grunt. I don't know how else to describe it. I know this is part of his disorder, and it's one of the milder issues, but when the day is long and that's all I've heard all day it's all I can do not to scream when he runs through the living room making the noise.

6 has to wash his hands at least twice during a meal. He can't stand to have dirty, sticky hands. He usually goes through at least two napkins or paper towels when he eats. I love that I don't usually have to worry about HIS fingerprints all over the walls and furniture. I hate that he is popping up and down from the dinner table all through dinner.

0 doesn't have any quirks yet... but I'm sure there will be at least one in the future.

Now, 3... he has to line things up. His Hot Wheels... he lines them up by size, color and model. His animal figures... by size and breed. He gets very upset if one of his older brothers comes along and disrupts his pattern. The other morning I came into the kitchen to find this (ignore my messy table, the boys all got up long before I did that day and they aren't very good at cleaning up after themselves... I'm working on that):

Those are Frosted Mini-Wheats! You can see his concentration as he works... Then, the poor thing had a complete "come-apart" when 9 trotted into the kitchen and started to munch on the squares... er rectangles on the end.

Now, I know we all have our quirks. Don't even try to deny it! I don't like the food on my plate to touch. I can mix it up if I want, but if it comes to me already touching I have a very hard time eating it. DH eats his food in a circle... he starts on one food and eats it until it's gone, then he rotates his plate to the next food on the plate. What quirks do your children have that make you tilt your head and mutter, "HUH" ? What quirks do YOU have that you hope you didn't/don't pass on to future generations?

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The last Kiddie Quote was pretty self-explanatory.

This time, it's:

"If our noses were on our butts... there would be a lot less nose-piercings!"

Yup... I'll explain that next time. :-)